BY IAN CROUCH
Efforts are continuing to recover the body of a man from a Hunter Valley mine shaft.
Police have been told the man, believed to be in his 50's, fell into the decommissioned mine shaft on Dry Creek Road at Ellalong while working at about 12.45pm on Tuesday.
He is yet to be formally identified.
The NSW Resources Regulator has commenced an investigation into the man's death and a report is being prepared for the Coroner.
EARLIER:
Emergency services personnel have been assembling equipment to attempt a mine rescue in the coming hours in the Hunter Valley.
Police are trying to locate a man believed to have fallen down a decommissioned mine shaft after lunch time reports of an incident in Dry Creek Ellalong near the former Austar Coal Mine.
Police Rescue, paramedics and crews from Fire and Rescue NSW have joined Mines Rescue personnel at the scene.
Two workers tragically died in the Paxton mine disaster at the Austar Coal Mine in 2014.
